Steam and air pipe coupling



(No Model.)

H. P. CHAPIN.

STEAM AND AIR PIPE COUPLING.

No. 452,689. Patented May 19,1891.

UNITED STATES HARLOl/V F, OHAPIN, OF

` STEAM AND AIR SPECIFICATION forming part of Letter PATENT OFFICE.

BROOKPORT, NEV YORK.

PIPE COUPLING.

s Patent No. 452,689, dated May 19, 1,891.

Application filed February 10, 1891. Serial No. 380,910. (No model.)

, citizen of the United States,residin g at Brockport, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Steam and'Air Pipe Coupling, of which the following 1s a speciiication.

This invention relates to couplings for the steam and air pipes between the cars of a railway-train, which pipes are useful for applying the brakes and heating the cars; and the object of the same is to provide improved devices of this character adapted more especially for use in connection with the oarcoupling for which United States Letters Patent No. 437,900 were issued to me October 7, 1890. Although it will be necessary in some cases to use the pipe-couplers -in connection with other car-couplers now in use, more espeeially when used for passenger-service, and in that case the pipe-coupler will be attached to the platform of the car and the telescoping pipe will not be used.

To this end the invention consists in the details of construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as illustrated on the sheet of drawings, whereinn Figure l is acentral vertical section through the draw-head of the two couplings. Fig. 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through the pipe-coupling alone. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one and a section of another pipe-coupling arranged in vertical alignment.

Referring to thesaid drawings, the letter D designates a draw-head wherein is arranged near its upper side a car-coupling substantially of the construction shown and described in the said Letters Patent, and the sides of this draw-head are continued downwardly so as to form supplemental draw-heads below the car-coupling. In these draw-heads are arranged the couplings for the air-brake and steam or hotair pipes, or, in the case of a freight-train, of the air-brakepipes only.

The pipe couplings and connections are constructed as follows: The coupler A is a straight plece of pipe having enlargements a at its ends, whereby they are rendered spherical. Within the draw-head D is a cylinder B, eX-

tending forward from which is a tube T, having a head2), adapted to receive the spherical head ct of the coupler, making a ball-andsocket joint. Around the front of this mouth is screwed a ring e, whose inner edge conipresses a packing-ring c against the front edge of the mouth when the ring e is screwed tight. The front of the draw-head D has a flaring mouth d, into which the couplerAwill pass, and having passed through this mouth it passes into the head b of the tube T, and bears this tube to the rear in a manner hereinafter described. As it does so a hook h, pivoted within the draw-head, engages behind the enlargement ct and holds the coupler coupled. j is a link pivotally connected at its lower end with the hook t, and having a slot J in its upper end loosely engaging a pin in the hook H of the car-coupling, and when said hook H is raised to disconnect the cars the hook 7L is raised thereby through the link j, and the coupler A is allowed to draw out of the drawhead, its other end being retained in the head b of the coupling on the other car. (Not shown.) The cylinder B is secured within the drawhead D by any suitable means, (not shown,) and within this cylinder is arranged a valve V, closing forwardly against a seat o. At the rear end of the tube T is a bar F across the same, which is connected by a rod F with the valve, and surrounding this tube is a ring f, which slides within the cylinder B and has a notch f around its edge. Adjacent to this ring is another ring 7L', having beveled edges engaging said notchf, and between said edges and notch is packing g. A sleeve Il is mounted in threads upon the exterior of the tube T and is adapted to be turned by an ordinary spanner engaging the holes G, and this sleeve passes through the end B of the cylinder and bears against the ring 7L. By this means the sleeve can be tightened to compress the packing g and cause the combined ring f 7t-1l. e., the pistonto more tightly t within the cylinder B. An expansive coiled spring S surrounds the tube T, between its head b and the front end B of the cylinder, whereby the tube is pressed normally forward and the valve V normally closed. 'lhc rear end l2 of ihccylinder Il is red uccd an d is connected to a rearwardly-extending pipe (5. lhis pipe may, and preferably does, have a telescoping-section C leading thereinto. Upon the end of the pipe C is a collar Il, cut away on its inner face, as at L', and extending` beyond the end of the pipe. \Vithin the annular space thus formed is a packing-ring l, adjacent to which is a bevelfaced ring Z', both these rings sliding upon the exterior of the pipe C and within the annular cut-away portion Il. A Itightening collar L2 of L-shaped cross-section screws upon the collar L, and its foot, when it is screwed home, presses the beveled-face ring Z against the packing-ring l, drives the latter into the annular space L', and forces it more tightly upon the exterior of the pipe C. All cars are provided with one of these pipe-couplings, which is connected with the air-brake, and some carssuch as passenger-cars-may be provided with another similar coupling arranged below the other and connected with the heatingpipes. In this manner the brakes can be applied in the usual way, and when necessary the cars can be heated.

The operation is as follows: As the cars are coupled in the manner described in the said Letters Patent, the coupler A is also guided through the mouth (l into the head ZJ, when the packing-ring within the same makes an air or steam tight joint around the same. The continued approach of the cars drives the tube T to the rear, sliding the piston f /t rearwardly within the cylinder B, and th rough the instrumentality of the rod opening Ithe valve Y. The air or steam then iiows through the pipe C, the cylinder Il, the tube T, and

the coupler A. The motions of the drawhead are compensated for by the telescoping of the pipes C C when they are used. The length of the coupler A, with its connecting parts, is sufficient to keep the valve Y in the cylinder IS open so long as the cars are coupled by the draw-link and hook II, although the same may be drawn to the full extent. The diameter of cylinder I3 and piston f 7i. are large enough to give a greater pressure against the tube T, so long as the valve V is open, than there can bebetween the head (l and the spherical head of the coupler A, so as to insure a steam or air tight lit between them so long as the cars are coupled. Nhen the cars are uncoupled, the raising of the hooks II t disconnects the link and the coupler, and when the cars draw apart the spring S forces the tube forward and automatically closes the valve Y.

lVhat is claimed as new isl. The combination, with a car-coupling having a hooked catch, of an air-brake-pipe coupler located below the same, a latch pivoted on said coupler and having a hooked front end, a link connecting said latch and catch, and a tubular coupling having` an en largcd head adapted to be engaged by the latch, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the draw-head of a carcoupling, an air-brake-pipe coupler supported thereby and having a cup-shaped head, and a latch pivotedto said coupler and havinga hook-shaped front end passing over said head. of a tubular coupling having enlarged ends detaehably fitting said head, said ends having shoulders adapted to be engaged by the hooked end of the latcl1,substant1ally as described.

13. In an air-brakc-pipe coupling, the combination, with the cup-shaped head b and the tube T extending rearwardly therefrom and having a piston at its rear end, of the cylinder Il, surrounding said piston and having an inturned end sliding on said tube, apackingring in the edge of said piston, and a coiled spring S surrounding said tube between its head and the end of the cylinder, substantially as described.

4. In an air-brakepipe coupling, the conibination, with cup-shaped head l), the tube'l, extending rearwardly therefrom and fitting within the cylinder B, a valve-scat yr within said cylinder, and a coiled spring S upon the tube 'l between the head and the front end of the cylinder, of a bar F across the rear of said tube, a rod l", rigidly connected to and extending from said bar through said valveseat, and a valve Y, carried by said rod, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an air-brake-pipe coupling, the combination, with the cylinder l, connected with the pipe C and having the end B', of the tube T extending through said end, the ring f ou the end of the tube within the cylinder, and having a notch j", the sleeve Il, screwing upon the tube 'l and also passing through said end, the ring b', carried by said sleeve and having a beveled face engaging said notch, and a packing-ring g within the notch, as and for the purpose set forth.

(i. In an air-brake-pipe coupling, the conibination, with the coupler A, the tube T, having a cup-shaped head, the cylinder B, within which said tube moves, said cylinder being supported bythe draw-head, and a valve V in the cylinder, connected with the tube and automatically opened thereby when the coupler is forced into said head, of the pipe C, leading rearwardly from said cylinder, the pipe C', telescoping into saidpipe C, and an adjacent packing surrounding the inner pipe at the end of the outer, as and for the pur pose set forth.

7. In an air-brake and steam-pipe coupling, the combination, with the ear-coupling drawhead, a cylinder B therein, and a pipe C, loosely connecting said cylinder with the pipes of the car, of a piston within said eylinder, a tube extending forwardly from said pistou and havinga cup-shaped head, a coup- IOO IIO

1er adapted to enter said head, L rod extend- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as mg rearwardly 'from said piston, a Valve at my own Ihzwe hereto affixed my signature in the rear end of said rod, and a, Valveseat presence of two Witnesses.

Within said cylinder, against which said Valve HARLOT F. CHAPIN, closes and opens when the tube is forced to Witnesses:

che rearfas and for the purpose hereiubefore CHARLES A. DAVIS,

set forth. CHARLES H. JENNER. 

